Technical Assessments

Technical Assessments of Proposals

This page is intended to be a brief guide for staff at the National Gemini Offices (NGOs) when they are technically assessing proposals at the Phase 1 stage. Additional information is given on each
instrument's page (in the "Observation Preparation" area); these are designed to assist the Investigator when
writing their proposal. The proposal should contain enough information to allow the assessor to judge whether the amount of time requested, with the instrument configuration and observing constraints requested, will allow the scientific goals to be achieved.

Target of Opportunity proposals must be identified
as such in the Phase 1 Tool (PIT) xml file, and also whether it is rapid or standard. If the schedule for triggers is known please note this, for optimum filling of the queue. All proposals for Rapid Target of Opportunity (RToO) followup
must submit a separate proposal for Standard Target of Opportunity followup (SToO) in conditions better than SB/CC/IQ=Any, if such followup is planned. Upgrades to good conditions will not be approved for RToO programs, and the SToO proposal is required if such conditions are necessary for later followup. Starting in 2012B, time in ToO programs that is not triggered will be charged to the partner (not the program) at the 50% level. Therefore time allocations to ToO programs should not be overly optimistic.

Readout overheads e.g. GMOS nod & shuffle, thermal IR short exposures; see the "ITC,
Sensitivity and Overheads" section in each of the instrument pages;

Non-standard calibrations, see the "Calibrations" section in each of the instrument pages.

Guide Stars

Are appropriate guide stars available? This is especially important for AO work, for the small-field on-instrument WFS of the infrared instruments, and at high galactic latitudes or for example the Hubble Deep Field where guide stars will be scarce. Programs that use the P2 or P1 probe arms or the GMOS OI have a large field available and checking these guide stars at Phase 1 is not usually important. For more information, see the "Guiding Options" section in each of the instrument pages.

Exposure Time and Signal to Noise

Are target flux levels given? If not, note this
and that an assessment cannot be made. If fluxes are given, does the PI state that the
exposure times have been confirmed using the Integration Time Calculator (ITC), for the selected
observing conditions? If not, check the exposure times look sensible using the
sensitivity tables given in the "ITC,
Sensitivity and Overheads" section in each of the instrument pages.

If any of these are not selected then check the proposal and
correct as necessary. If CC80/any or IQany have been selected check that this is
realistic and not an error. Note in your assessment any unusual observing constraints so that the TAC knows these have been confirmed.

Timing Constraints, Non-Standard Observations

Please note in your assessment whether the observations are time-critical or have timing constraints. Also note if there is anything unusual about the planned observations, for example an infrequently used instrument mode, or unusual acquisition and guiding.

Classical Programs

If this is a
classical program that requires good
observing conditions is there a backup program for poorer weather? If so is it feasible? If not please note that a backup plan is needed. If there is no backup program then the time will be used for queue observations if
the conditions for the classical program are not met.